Michael Mosier Defeat DIPG® Foundation is pleased to announce the exciting news that it has been awarded a $79,300 grant by Select Equity Group Foundation. This generous grant will be used to fund promising research aimed at transforming our understanding of the deadliest pediatric brain cancer, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), with an ultimate goal of identifying effective treatments and a cure. DIPG impacts hundreds of children each year in the U.S. alone, typically between the ages of 4 – 11 years old. These kids face a median survival of 9 months from diagnosis and overall survival of less than 1%.

Select Equity Group Foundation’s mission is to make a positive impact by actively engaging all employees in identifying and supporting charitable organizations of excellence. Select Equity Group Foundation uses a democratic process as the primary mechanism for its grantmaking, whereby its employees nominate charities for consideration. Select Equity Group Foundation conducts a rigorous research process, including application by invitation and discussions with leadership before an award can be considered. To date, Select Equity Group Foundation has awarded more than $20 million in grants to nonprofit organizations in a range of areas.

Tracy Thomas, Associate General Counsel at Select Equity Group, championed Michael Mosier Defeat DIPG Foundation during their annual celebration. We greatly appreciate Tracy’s efforts to share with her colleagues the critical need for investment in finding a cure for this devastating disease. We also thank Robert Wilson, Executive Director of Select Equity Group Foundation, as well as all of the Select Equity Group employees who supported the award of this grant.

Michael Mosier Defeat DIPG® Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports research initiatives designed to find a cure for DIPG brain tumors. The Defeat DIPG Foundation Board of Directors makes funding decisions, after consideration of recommendations from its Scientific Advisory Council (SAC). The SAC consists of preeminent doctors in the field of brain cancer and is led by Chair Darell D. Bigner, M.D., Ph.D., Director of The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University. Defeat DIPG Foundation has experienced significant growth since its creation in 2015, with the addition of three Defeat DIPG® Network chapters across the United States in Illinois (Anthony’s Avengers Defeat DIPG® Foundation), Texas (Connor Man Defeat DIPG® Foundation), and Washington (Avery Huffman Defeat DIPG® Foundation).

There has been a significant increase in research focused on DIPG, including notable advancements of knowledge about the biology of the disease just in the past five years. With increased access to tumor tissue, more sophisticated technology, and greater information sharing between institutions, there is hope that children facing DIPG will soon have more options and hope for extended survival.